More To It All
by SuAO
Summary: The road to becoming a family is never easy.


_**F**_or Aurora she'd take the stars and moon out of the nightsky if she could. This was common knowledge. Maleficent, once Mistress of all things evil simply and undoubtedly dotted on the young Queen, and would do absolutely anything to please her.

Though many didn't know that Queen Aurora wasn't the _only_ one Maleficent would willingly sacrifice herself for.

Sometimes he came to her as a raven, sometimes as a hare, others a serpent, and more often than not, lately as a man. Ever since she had given him the ability to change as he pleased Diaval was clearly having a good time experimenting with all sort of life forms and new perspectives.

Yet, in the end, he always came back to her. In one form or another.

And for that (and many more reasons she dare not admit to him unless she wished his ego to swell even more) she loved him. She loved him more than a companion should love a familiar, and yes, more than a friend should love another friend. At one time such a revelation would have scared her but now it made her feel nothing but soul healing joy.

She knew he felt it too. She had saw it in his eyes many years ago, but only now did she find herself truly able to return it. And though she knew there were many ways in which to return his love she opted for the quiet moments by the stream spent in utter contentedness of one another's company. The small smiles shared as they walked through the woods and prattled on about nothing late into the afternoon. The gentle laughter that they roused from one another when they said something utterly ridiculous and out of character. Their's was an innocent love and Maleficent hoped it was enough as it was all she was familiar with.

On rare occasions she shared a kiss with him, it was soft and sweet and short. Rarely lasting more than a few seconds.

Maybe, buried beneath insecurities and fears, there was a longing for something more intimate, something more corporeal than their chaste love, but Maleficent rarely acknowledge it. And when it came to Diaval she knew he would stay by her side no matter what she did or didn't offer him.

The days turned into years and very little seemed to change.

_They_ didn't change. Not physically. Not emotionally.

Maleficent's fae blood seemed to allow her body and appearance to freeze in time. There would come a day when she aged and grew grey, but a faerie's lifespan was far longer than anyone living could recall. Diaval remained the same as well; rugged, handsome, and charmingly scarred with character. He was unaging like his former Mistress. The enchantment she so heavily embedded in him had prolonged his life. For how long not even Maleficent herself was sure, but he had long since passed the expected longevity of a common raven.

Though they never spoke of such grim matters Maleficent fiercely hoped that the magic that coursed in his veins would keep him alive for far longer than she lived. The same as she wished the fae blood in her beloved little beastie would prevail over human illness and weaknesses.

It seemed for a time there in the Moorlands everything was at a standstill.

And to Maleficent it was glorious.

To the west Queen Aurora and King Philip ruled the humans and to the south the Moorlands prospered like they did in the days of Maleficent's youth.

And, unforgettably, she had found love, _real_ love. A pure and simple love that made her heart soar much like her wings carried her.

What more could she ask for or want?

_**I**_t was an exceptionally hot day. Diaval had taken on wing as a hawk to scour the lands in search of breakfast while Maleficent stayed near _their_ tree and bloomed several tree blossoms.

Maleficent felt her presence long before the graceful but hurried footfalls drifted to her ears.

Aurora felt like the sun warming you after a long and dreadfully harsh winter. This air seemed to follow wherever the young Queen went and it was always her giveaway.

Pausing in her duties Maleficent glided down gently from her perch on the tree just in time to greet a flush faced Aurora.

Her cheeks were ruddy and her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears and instinctively Maleficent feared the worst. Reaching out to hold _her_ beastie she ran her fingers through her fine blonde locks in an attempt to ease whatever sorrow plagued her.

_It's that boy!_ Maleficent's inner demons snarled furiously like a mother bear. Though Aurora had been married to Philip for two summers Maleficent still felt him rather a foolish, simple minded boy.

"What is wrong, Aurora?" Maleficent pulled away from the shaking young woman and placed her hands on either side of the Aurora's heartshaped face. Tears now freely flowed from blue eyes. Maleficent with ease wiped them away. "Beastie?"

"Oh, Faerie Godmother," Aurora's tiny hand clutched Maleficent's arm as she drew in a long, shaky breath. A smile suddenly graced her face and even more tears began to fall. She was crying, but she was...happy. No, not happy, beyond happy. Elated. Ecstatic.

Maleficent's downy wings sagged in relief upon realization that she wouldn't have to behead any kings on this day today.

Taking her hands away from her face she grabbed her goddaughter's hands and asked "What has you shaking with delight so, deary?"

If it were even possible Aurora's smile grew larger, though the tears never faltered. "I'm pregnant!" she exclaimed with uncontained glee before wrapping her arms around Maleficent's waist and burying her head in the crook of her neck, laughing and crying at the same time in the uttermost happiness.

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What do you think so far? This story will skip around considerably in time and will probably be more like a collection of oneshots than a real story. I find I do better if I think that way. Reviews aren't needed but are greatly appreciated.


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